Reviews (1)

More Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes reviewed by E.W.A. Boehm
Although published quite some time ago, More Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes by M. B. Ellis and his earlier book titled simply Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes are probably the most often used texts to identify hyphomycetous microfungi with dark conidiospores (and many non-pigmented hyphomycetes as well). Massively illustrated both texts supply taxonomic keys enabling the student of mycology to indentify their collections at least to genus and in many cases to species. Purchasing More Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes by M. B. Ellis by itself is probably not a good idea because many descriptions of genera given in the first text (Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes) are not repeated in the second but rather are simply referred to. Nonwithstanding this reservation, this is a "must have" book for any mycologist interested in this group of dark spored asexual fungi. I would also advise any would be purchaser of this book to also purchase BC Sutton's Coelomycetes which cover those hyphomycetes producing conidial fructifications. ... Read more

Book Description

A large-format compilation of the first 10 issues of ÒWorld Explorer,Ó the offbeat New Age magazine! Among the many exciting articles covering UFO phenomena, ancient secret writings and strange living creatures, are these provocative titles: Dinosaur Hunting in the Congo Comacalco: Mayan City of Mystery What Happened to the Great Library of Alexandria?Egyptians in the Pacific Lost Megaliths of Guatemala Mystery of Easter Island The authors include authorities on all aspects of alternative science, including David Hatcher Childress, Joseph Jochmans, John Major Jenkins, Deanna Emerson, Katherine Routledge, Alexander Horvat, Greg Deyermenjian, and Dr. Marc Miller. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Interesting.
This is a collection of the first ten issues of the World Explorer Magazine. (WEX for short.) There are articles about pterodactyls, caves in Arizona, missing cities, interesting trips and more. There are some little funny tidbits in among all of this- jokes, postcards from readers, cartoons and Riply's Believe it or Not type information.

This is an interesting book/collection of magazines.

My two complaints- the book is very big in size and it makes it difficult for some intersting late night reading. Two- the reproduction quality is poor- this makes it difficult to look at already poor quality photos.

What an interesting book that looks at the off beat, far off, interesting and fun. ... Read more

Book Description

Twenty years ago the world slept, confident that biomedical science would protect it from devastating plagues. Our wake-up call sounded at the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic. Then came more unfamiliar pathogens in its wake, such as the West Nile virus. Meanwhile, the neglected diseases of the third world, including malaria and African sleeping sickness, festered—their victims salvageable only by unaffordable, patent-protected drugs. Robert S. Desowitz traces the histories of these diseases and the issues we must confront—the morality and legality of patent laws, the effect of global warming on epidemics, public support for the commercial biochemical industry, the growing dissociation of clinicians and public health professionals, and the terrifying shadow of bioterrorism. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Desowitz makes another hit!
Anything written by Robert Desowitz is always a worthwhile read and his most recent (and sadly, last) book, "Federal Bodysnatchers and the New Guinea Virus: Tales of Parasites, People, and Politics," is no exception. His expertise on human infectious diseases is impressive and thorough. He discusses the little known behind the scenes intrigues involved with the attempts to deal with malaria, West Nile virus, sleeping sickness, and several others. He also discusses the effects of global warming on the spread of infectious diseases and the roll of DDT in suppressing malaria specifically.

His earlier book "The Malaria Capers" (1991) should be read to completely understand the political and even criminal problems that developed within the malaria vaccine research program. These problems landed some researchers in jail and certainly have added little or nothing to the development of a real vaccine. The vaccine is tough to produce (over 70 years has so far been spent on the search) because of the fact that Plasmodium falciparum (the main target of vaccines as it is the main, if not sole cause of death from malaria) is a much more complicated organism than the viruses and bacteria that are usually the target. Because of its complex life cycle and ability to avoid antibodies and parasite-killing cells, malaria soon escapes any vaccine so far developed. A Colombian researcher is supposed to have a 100% effective vaccine, but Desowitz is rightly skeptical. As I have not heard of the vaccine being a success, I will have to agree.

The problems with DDT discussed by Desowitz demonstrate that there are no easy ways out. DDT was banned for agricultural use pretty much worldwide within a decade or so of the publication of "Silent Spring." It has since been used for malaria control in many tropical countries and has been more than a little effective, even though resistance had built up in mosquitoes in many areas (Desowitz notes that some researchers think that resistance was helped by the huge amounts of DDT used in agriculture). There is little doubt that DDT was an ecological disaster when it was broadcasted throughout the environment. However, there is a movement to ban it even for anti-malarial use and Desowitz thinks that this may be wrong-headed. I am not sure about this, but I have to admit that it is not my children that are at stake (at least for the present time!) However, if global warming continues (and neither Desowitz nor I am under any illusion that it will not) we may be staring at a lot of new and old diseases (including malaria- which has already made some incursions) that we never thought possible in the United States. Then we may sing a different tune!

This book should be read by everyone concerned about emerging diseases, whether brought by terrorists or (much more likely) by human movement and trade. It should also open anyone's eyes to the lack of efficiency of many organizations charged with the protection of world and national health. ... Read more

Book Description

Learn how to collect, identify, cook, and sometimes avoid 35 individual species of Alaska's mushrooms. Includes delicious recipes from an Alaskan expert. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Know what you are looking for
A guide specific for the Alaskan Wilderness. A must have for any Alaskan mushroom hunters collection. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a lab manual intended for use in undergraduate courses and some graduate courses. It contains open-ended experiments to teach applied bacteriology approaches and techniques. Included are the fundamental principles of bacteriology, microbial ecology, bacterial physiology, basic fermentation, and biocontrol.
There is no other lab manual of this kind in the market. It breaks new ground in hands-on bacteriology, emphasizing the role of bacteria in both microbiological and macrobiological disciplines. This is also one of the few lab books stressing the use of invertebrate animals as bacteriological material.

Key Features:
* Open-ended experimental design
* Experiments are multi-disciplinary, featuring applied bacteriology procedures
* Applicable to bacteriology and macrobiology courses
* Experiments can be used singly or in multiple array
* For individual or class
* Offers alternate or parallel experiments
* Laboratory lore integrating experiment background with insightful explanations
* Stresses use of insects, mollusks, and other invertebrates as lab animals vis-…-vis bacteriological materials
* Extensive sources, resources, and references given of material as well as the livestock used in the experiments ... Read more

Book Description

Bacillus anthracis—anthrax—had largely faded from public consciousness until it resurfaced as a terrorist weapon in 2001. It was always with us, lurking in the soil and hosted by our livestock. Long before it was identified as a specific bacterium in the late 1800s, "anthrax" was a catchphrase for a variety of diseases and symptoms, from ancient biblical plagues to a painful carbuncle on George Washington’s leg. Only when industrialization turned anthrax into a widespread disease that threatened economies did a true understanding of Bacillus anthracis begin to emerge.

This history of anthrax follows the development of our understanding of the disease, beginning in the 18th century, when science began breaking ground on the subject, until the present, when anthrax is feared more as an agent of biowarfare than as a health hazard harbored by the environment. There are three appendices: the first outlines the reaction of Manchester, New Hampshire, to the 2001 anthrax attacks; the second documents workplace warnings to anthrax-prone workers; and the third lists novels that involve anthrax. Bibliographical references are also provided. ... Read more

Book Description

"‘Dirty! Don’t touch! Yuck! Feh! You don’t know where it’s been!’These admonitions ring in our ears–for some of us our earliest memories of parental exhortation, for others the indelible mark of our deepest fears. Germs, as we know, are everywhere, lying in wait to attack the inadequately vigilant or insufficiently armed, gangs of serial killers on a random search for their next victim. We do not mock. Well, maybe we mock a little, but in fact, mother (or father) does sometimes know best–some germs can be very nasty invaders indeed. Yet we live in a world of microbes–some dreadful, some harmless, some essential to our continued life on earth. Knowing which to avoid, which to eliminate, and which just to live happily with can turn fearful warnings into reasoned discourse, and trembling terror into intelligent action."
––From the Preface

What do microbes have to do with your pets, your kids, your supermarket, your laundry, your sex life, your vacation at the beach, and your dinner plans for Saturday night? Plenty, as it turns out, and you’ll learn all about it in Where the Germs Are.

This doesn’t mean you have to panic, run out and buy every one of the more than 700 antibacterial products now on the market, dress in surgical scrubs, or live in a plastic bubble. In fact, most of the germs we live with are harmless, and some are positively delightful–like the ones that make grapes into wine, give yogurt its tang and cheeses their multitude of flavors, and lend sourdough bread its satisfying bite and aroma. But of course there are a nasty few that it would be good to avoid, and avoiding them means knowing something of the way they behave. Where the Germs Are is an intelligent, well-informed, scientifically accurate, and often delightfully funny guide to microbe country. Why not stop by for a spell–after all, you’re already there. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Interesting and valuable information, well-presented
The photo on the cover somehow hints at the sometimes ironic expression within. The cover shows a fifties housewife in black heels, nylons, lipstick, a modest hairdo and a house dress covered by an apron mopping her kitchen floor. She is smiling with pride. Her squeaky-clean persona represents the germaphobe in all of us--a class of humanity to which I belong and to which science writer Bakalar has aimed his book. Her pleased sense that her sparkling kitchen is largely germ-free is of course a delusion. Read and be revolted!

As far as readability goes, this is the best general-information book on germs that I have read, and I have read several. What Bakalar does so very well is inform, period. He also has a witty and easy flowing style that makes the pages turn. He is a writer who loves to explain how the microbial world of disease works. He likes to turn away misconceptions and debunk urban myths without taking himself too seriously. He can be slyly funny as when he notes that house mice "are in general not a reservoir of serious human illness," but that "any restaurant that allows them to frolic in the presence of diners is likely to be out of business soon." Or when he identifies electrocuting insect traps that "may actually spread germs into the air" as "the kind that produce that satisfying buzz every time they kill a fly." (p. 197)

He can also be profound. Consider this from page 15: "Viruses, bacteria, archaea, prions, protozoa, and fungi all exist in nature. Disease does not. Disease is a human invention, not a phenomenon that exists out there apart from us." He adds that from the point of view of the disease agent, "the infection is merely life." And indeed, "From the point of view of some organisms, human beings themselves are a disease." He notes that tigers, for example, have a bad case of "humans."

One of the myths that he debunks that I had long believed was that the recycled air in passenger airplanes was a significant cause of disease. Turns out that in older airplanes such as DC-9s and 727s the air is not recycled at all but drawn entirely from outside the plane. In newer airplanes "half the cabin air is recirculated" but it is filtered better and refreshed more often than in office buildings. (pp. 209-210)

Chapter headings include The Contaminated Kitchen, Toilet Training, Kids and Microbes, Microbes and Your Sex Life, Pets and Their Germs, Water and What's in It, Germs in Public Places, etc. Bakalar ends the book with a chapter on products you can buy at the store that may or may not kill germs and improve your health. Naturally all sorts of ugly microbes make their appearance including plague, West Nile virus, smallpox, TB, cholera, etc. as well as some not so charming vectors: mice, rats, mosquitoes, ticks, bats, fleas, and their brethren, cockroaches, flies and things that creep in the night.

There is a 15-page glossary and there are footnotes arranged by chapter (a dense paragraph for each) at the back of the book that you can examine for further information. The notes are not subscripted nor referenced by page. I'm not sure I like this but it does unclutter the text.

Good reading but no surprises
I disagree with the first reviewer who gave this book a low rating. I think it's a pretty good overview of the details of which germs cause what illness, and how they're spread.

I think the author does a nice job of handling what could be a highly technical subject. The book is comprehensible to the layperson, yet still difficult enough that you probably ought to have had college-level sciences in order to understand its complexity.

I was hoping that the book (especially considering the picture of the kitchen on the cover) would offer me something new regarding keeping germs and illness away from my family. However, it does not go far beyond the standard prevention tactics of good handwashing and modern sanitation. Good handwashing is particularly emphasized.

Diseases and illnesses such as smallpox and lyme disease and West Nile and herpes are handled in detail. It's a useful and factual introduction to bacteriology and contagious diseases, and includes some historical references, in a readable text.

A comedy of errors
Actually the only "funny" thing about this book is how John Wiley & Sons allowed it to be published without a microbiologist proof-reading it first!
The basic microbiology is riddled with mistakes and errors, the chapter contents often go off the topic being discussed, terms are misused (or wrong)and some of the facts and figures quoted contradict each other later on in the book - sometimes on the next page!
I wasted £14.99 on this book - although it was fun spotting the mistakes. There are better books on microbiology for sale, buy one of those.
By the way subtract 2 stars from the rating system - [I can't enter] negatives. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than a century bacteriology has been an important subject for the medical profession. The continuing discovery of new micro-organisms, new bacterial disease, and new antibiotics and approaches to the control of bacterial infection will ensure its continuing significance in medicine and health care. This highly practical, well-illustrated, quick reference guide to clinical bacteriology provides a thorough grounding in the subject in an informative yet lively and entertaining manner. Beginning with general principles of bacteriology, the book then provides a succinct and readable account of the bacteria of medical importance, describing in uniform the relevant symptoms, signs and complications, as well as epidemiology, treatment and prevention, and laboratory diagnosis. Packed with information, this book will enjoy wide appeal particularly amongst hospital and community physicians, nurses, students of medicine and biology, laboratory technicians and health professionals. Other Titles of Interest from Wiley Include: A Practical Guide to Clinical Virology 1989 Edited by G. Haukenes, L. R. Haaheim and J. R. Pattison Bacteria in Biology, Biotechnology and Medicine 3rd Edition 1995 by Paul Singleton ... Read more

Reviews (1)

useful as a quick refresher
This is a briskly written book that does exactly what its title claims. Useful to medical microbiology and nursing students as a supplement to the usual massive textbook. The book is British so terminolgy, drug names, and spelling may differ somewhat from USA usage. The book carries a 1995 date and is probably in need of some updating. I suggest it to my microbiology students if they need an alternative presentation to their assigned text. ... Read more

Book Description

The third edition of this best-selling volume provides an overview of current knowledge of the wide variety of mechanisms used by bacterial pathogens in establishing infection, producing disease, and persisting in the host.

Internationally recognized authorities in the field review bacterial invasion, colonization, and survival; bacterial evasion of host defense mechanisms; bacterial effects on host cell function; and identification, regulation, and transfer of virulence genes.The final chapter presents an interesting examination of new methods for studying virulence mechanisms in the complex in vivo environment, a major development in studies of bacterial pathogenicity.The overall emphasis is on understanding the mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions rather than on focusing on specific research approaches. ... Read more

Book Description

Mushrooms in Texas? Yes, it's true. One of the best-kept secrets in the Lone Star state is that mushrooms can be found in almost every region. Thousands of species of mushrooms flourish in Texas from the desert and semiarid regions of West Texas to the moist and acid soils of East Texas, where species that can also be found in South America live alongside those that might be spotted in Malaysia and Europe. At last, here is the Texas mushroom book--a colorful, easy-to-follow guide that will surprise and delight uninitiated nature enthusiasts and at the same time provide the experienced mushroom hunter with the first field guide of its kind in Texas. Excellent color photographs and precise descriptions of over 200 species will enable the mushroom hunter--even the amateur--to make quick, careful easy distinctions between the edible varieties and the potentially toxic ones. In addition, kitchen-tested recipes are included along with a microscopic spore chart, glossary, and blbllography. In Texas, mushroom hunting can be a year-round, state-wide activity, and with this enticing introduction, collecting, identifying, and preparing wild mushrooms will become an activity the entire family can enjoy while appreciating the beauty of Texas from a new and fascinating angle. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Must Have Field Guide for Identifying Texas Wild Mushrooms
Fall 2000 and so far this Spring 2001, I have found thirteen types of wild mushrooms growing on my ranch in Bandera Texas (amazing what some good rains can do!). So far, I have been able to identify all of them with this single reference book. Pictures are clear, and descriptions are detailed. I highly recommend this book. By the way, I found morels---first time they've been seen in over 20 years here in the Hill Country, according to the locals.

Best and Only Guide to the Mushrooms of Louisiana and Texas
This book is wonderful. A thorough guide by the legendary Metzlers, famous experts on the subject. Color photos of every mushroom are beautiful and helpful. Complete descriptions, including interesting history, tips and cooking advice, make this book a fun, fascinating aid to any mushroom hunter. Other books will not suffice. Texas mushrooms are unique and strange, with many species that only occur in Texas. Other books will have dangerous gaps. You need this book. I'd buy it again, if I didn't already have it. The Deity-Man Van deserves our worship. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive, interdisciplinary volume covers all aspects of infections due to Shiga-toxin producing E. coli, including epidemiology, animal ecology, food safety, pathogenesis, renal pathophysiology, clinical microbiology, clinical management, and vaccine development.Organized to reflect the perspectives of experts in these diverse areas, this book is a valuable resource for those new to the field as well as the most highly focused specialists.TABLE OF CONTENTS:Epidemiology of STEC in Humans Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infections in Humans in the United States Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infections in Canada Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in South AmericaEpidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infections in Continental Europe Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) in the United Kingdom An Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Central Scotland Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Australia Recent Outbreaks of Infections Caused by Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Japan STEC in the Food ChainEcology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Cattle and Impact of Management Practices Microbiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Foods Food Safety in the United States Pathogenic Mechanisms: Bacterial Factors Structure, Biology, and Relative Toxicity of Shiga Toxin Family Members for Cells and Animals Shiga Toxin (Verotoxin) Binding to Its Receptor Glycolipid Shiga Toxin Interaction with Intestinal Epithelial Cells Intimin-Mediated Adherence of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Attaching-and- Effacing Pathogens Intimin-Independent Adherence Mechanisms of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Other Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli Strains Attaching-and-Effacing Intestinal Histopathology and the Locus of Enterocyte Effacement Plasmid-Encoded Determinants of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Evolution of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Other Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli Strains Pathogenic Mechanisms: Host Response and Animal ModelsEpithelial Cell Responses to Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infection Cytokine Response to Shiga Toxins Human Immune Response and Immunity to Shiga Toxin (Verocytotoxin)-Producing Escherichia coli Infection Overview of Animal Models Bovine Infection with Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Canine Model of Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protects against Tissue Injury in an Animal Model of Hemorrhagic Colitis Pathogenesis of Hemolytic-Uremic SyndromePathophysiology of Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Hematology of Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Interaction of Shiga Toxins with Endothelial Cells Novel Role of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in the Pathogenesis of Classic Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Shiga Toxin (Verotoxin) Toxicity in Human Cerebral Endothelial Cells Diagnosis and Treatment of STEC Infections Overview of Detection and Subtyping Methods Treatment of Disease Due to Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli:Infectious Disease Management Principles of the Treatment of Shiga Toxin-Associated Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome: Pay Meticulous Attention to Detail, and Do No Harm Clinical Trials of Synsorb-Pk in Preventing Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Early Use of Fosfomycin for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157 Infection Reduces the Risk of Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Vero Cell Neutralization and Mouse Protective Efficacy of Humanized Monoclonal Antibodies against Escherichia coli Toxins Stx1 and Stx2 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infections: Challenges and Opportunities Vaccines against STEC Immunoprophylaxis of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infection and Disease: Strengths and Weaknesses of Various Strategies Toxoid-Based Active and Passive Immunization To Prevent and/or Modulate Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Due to Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Synthesis and Immunologic Properties of O-Specific Polysaccharide-Protein Conjugate Vaccines for Prevention and Treatment of Infections with Escherichia coli O157 and Other Causes ofHemolytic-Uremic SyndromeLive, Oral Attenuated Vaccine Vectors for Prevention of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichiacoli Infection Vaccines and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Animals Public Health Perspective on Immunoprophylactic Strategies for Escherichia coli O157:H7: Who or What Would We Immunize? ... Read more

Book Description

Bacterial cell culture is an essential first step for many biologists involved in unravelling lifes processes. This book provides essential information to help the researcher in the successful culturing of a wide range of bacteria. It includes guidance on the isolation, microscopic examination, characterization and identification of bacteria. The Essential Data series provides rapid access to the core data required by researchers on a daily basis, in convenient pocket-sized volumes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A really essential data
I think someone did a great job organizing all the essential data about bacterial growth in one book. I work in the lab, and I searched several monthes for a book that contains all the data I needed. Seems I found it. The data is short, exact and well organized. Very helpfull. ... Read more

Book Description

The 5th edition of this very popular introductory textbook covers the key areas of bacteriology, including morphology, multiplication, metabolism, genetics, bacteriophages, classification, and the basic practical procedures used by bacteriologists. Incorporating the many recent advances in all aspects of bacteriology which have arisen since the 4th edition was published, it keeps readers up-to-date with current progress.
* Features increased coverage of the basic biology of the bacteria cell; RNA (its different forms and functions); recombinant DNA techniques; and adhesins
* Presents a wealth of new material including sections on transposon mutagenesis, bioremediation; VNC (viable but non-cultivable) bacteria; flocculation in the activated sludge process; and chlorohexidine (antiseptic) ... Read more

Book Description

With the recent outbreak of anthrax, the use of daily germ warfare has come to the fore.The sober reality is that pathogens can adapt to every chemical that researchers develop-and the same science that is fighting these diseases can also have a hand in creating and adapting new ones.How germs affect the human body, how they are spread, and what science is doing to combat them is covered in this eye-opening collection from noted scientists in this field. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sadly, too relevant!
In many ways, it would be much better if this book was pure, speculative fiction. Unfortunately, after the terrorist events of 2001, including the anthrax releases, this book is all too timely.

The style of writing bears Scientific American's usual editorial skill, as applied to all the articles, written by experts in their fields. Topics discussed include how germs can attack humans, and the current precautions we can take. However, germs can evolve resistance, so we do not face a static picture.

Perhaps the scariest topics describe how a biolab can deliberately modify an existing bacteria or virus, to amplify its danger to us. Unlike nuclear proliferation, the technology required here is much less capital intensive and the knowledge base is far more widely dispersed. ... Read more